Phantom democracies: John Keane on the New Global Despotism

Political scientist and author John Keane on the recent proliferation of corrupt political regimes that employ democratic rhetoric, staged elections, social media and economic growth to cultivate public loyalty and give the appearance of legitimacy. Presented by Peter Mares.

“These rulers understand that violence is a limited tool for ensuring loyalty. That much more effective, much more durable, is the experiment with institutional forms, new mechanisms and tools for actually encouraging voluntary servitude.” — Prof. John Keane